The House of Representatives voted today to freeze funding to Planned Parenthood. The vote was predictably along party lines. It’s most likely a symbolic vote, as the bill has little to no chance of making it through the Senate. President Obama this week nominated Robert Califf, a cardiologist and researcher at Duke University, to be
September is observed as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to recognize the children and families who have been touched by childhood cancer and to raise awareness about the research being conducted to help find a cure for these diseases. Unlike the development of some preventable cancers in adults, such as skin and lung cancer, the causes
In the latest partisan battle over the Affordable Care Act, a judge ruled that the House of Representatives can sue the Obama Administration over its spending on the program. Almost 10 million people have health insurance that they bought directly through federal or state health care exchanges made possible by the Affordable Care Act. Governor
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and more than 100 lives are lost to suicide each day, according the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sadly, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that only half of Americans experiencing depression receive treatment but the American Panel Survey
During the month of August, 677 New Yorkers used the Partnership for Prescription Assistance’s (PPA) website or hotline to find out if they qualified for any of the 475 public and private patient assistance programs offered by the PPA. Of these 677 New Yorkers, 99% were matched with the assistance program that’s right for them,
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a blood disorder where an individual has abnormal hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues, in his or hers red blood cells. SCD is not contagious and is typically passed through genes from the parent. Those with SCD have inherited one abnormal hemoglobin gene
Assembly member Thomas Abinanti introduced legislation to combat Legionnaires ’ disease. The bill would set requirements for inspecting cooling towers and heating systems in New York State. There were two new cases of Legionnaires’ disease this week in New York City, according to city health officials. The New York City Council will propose legislation aimed
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Eye and vision screenings are important for children because, like most other health conditions, eye conditions that are caught early can be treated early. Refractive Errors – these are the most common form of eye problems and are usually corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Myopia –
Healthcare enrollment under the Affordable Care Act shot up dramatically around the April 30th deadline, according to this report. According to this Politico article, New York State’s nonprofit regional health plans are suffering financially as a result of the Affordable Care Act. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law regulations to prevent future outbreaks
Immunizations and vaccines have played an instrumental role in increasing the quality of life for people around the world. Vaccines have virtually eliminated several serious diseases in the developed world that have historically cause millions of deaths, such as smallpox, polio, and flu. Do vaccines actually work? Yes, vaccines are very effective. Vaccines have reduced